


Situation Awareness

by EdnaV



Series: Bespin, from a Certain Point of View [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 07:30:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18868600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdnaV/pseuds/EdnaV
Summary: Leia is trying to stay calm and assess the situation after the arrival on Bespin, but the place is a maze - in more ways than one.





	Situation Awareness

**Author's Note:**

> "Situation awareness" is the ability to assess the situation around you from a tactical point of view. Someone like Leia is obviously very good at that, even without accounting for the Force...
> 
> (If you don't read the comics: Sana Starros is one of Han's exes, and a con woman. That's all you need to know, actually.)

****_Pull yourself together._ _Deep breath._

That welcome felt like -

what's the right word?

_A bad feeling_ \- that's how it felt like. Something that doesn't exactly add up, and not because Han had promised a warm welcome, no question asked, and had failed to deliver on either. It was not eaxctly the first time Han had overestimated his skills to get away with -

to be fair: he _had_ gotten away, so far.

_Now he's going to get away from -_

whatever had happened in the past four months. Four? Five? Lost track. It shouldn't matter now. It does. It shouldn't.

_Fine. Deep breath. Pull yourself together._

Going down the ramp - now.

Han is already on the platform. He acts confident. He isn't, of course. Chewie is keeping an eye on him - more than usual, that is.

_He's keeping an eye on me too. By the Force, I can defend myself, I don't need -_

It's a good feeling, though.

The landing platform is very long and very empty. No cover, if anyone comes at -

No, the door's opening. Opened.

_See? My friend._

Han is acting _way_ too confident to be convincing.

The _friend_ is walking down the platform, a security detail and -

_Is he wearing a_ cape _?!_

Yes, he is wearing a cape. Of all things.

Han goes on to meet him. Whispered something to Chewie - to keep his eyes open, probably.

The jacket's a mess. He can see the insignia. He's going to see the face. If he's a _friend_ of Han, he can recognise a leader of the Alliance. If only to sell her out.

_It was the best course of action. The only one, really, with the Falcon in that state._

Han has reached his _friend_. There's a problem -

no, they were joking. Acting like boys.

Deep breath. Rolling eyes.

_Well, he seems friendly!_

Always count on Threepio for the worst take on the situation.

_Pretty sure I know what kind of_ friend _they were. Like Sana. He really has a type._

Rolling eyes even further.

_I wonder where I fit in..._

_Think about checking the escape routes, don't be silly._

Deep breath, walking down the platform.

The friend has sent away the security detail. Good. Three to two, Han has his blaster and Chewie is, well, Chewie.

Han's gone full con-artist-sabacc-player-charming-rogue.

Almost there.

The hair's a mess. That hairdo is comfortable, it keeps everything in place in almost any circumstance, but there's something like five months on the Falcon. A good part of which have been spent -

_not the time to think about that._

Half-smile. Cold and detached. Charming enough to disappear.

_How you doin' Chewbacca? Still getting around with this loser?_

_Han_ _'_ _s not a loser_ , he replies. You can't tell if he's being playful or he's about to rip your arms off. Good thing.

In the visual range of the _friend_.

_Hello, what have we here?_

He's bypassing Han.

He's analysed and evaluated the situation in less than five seconds. He's seen the insignia, the face. The ship must have an Imperial bounty on it too, by now. Not counting Jabba's.

Han looks -

_...jealous? Really? Now?! Fine, I'm on my own. I've dealt with this bullshit since I could walk, I'm dealing with this one too._

Blank face.

_I'm Lando Calrissian, I'm the administrator of this facility._

More charming than Han, you have to give him that. Even with that cape.

_And who might you be?_

Han is running a hand through his hair.

_Playful but detached should do it._

_Leia._

As if he didn't know it already.

He leans in.

A _hand-kiss?!_

A better con artist than Han. The hand-kiss move: he sizes her up, moves between the two of them, gets a reaction from Han - if Han falls for it.

Han falls for it.

Though, it's pleasant. Given the situation, it shouldn't matter. But it's something. A good feeling. Maybe because the situation is so bad, it's a really good one.

They're almost fighting over who's holding her hand.

_Don't laugh in their face. Act a bit overwhelmed. Make him underestimate you._

Stepping back, now. Not too far to look out of place, far enough to keep an eye on the situation at large.

Checking left, up, right, down.

Han is talking about the Falcon. _Lando_ was the previous owner.

_Please don't tell me that they're jealous of a ship too._

_Of course they are. It's_ that _ship._

Going through the door.

_One exit on our back, closed. Control panel on the right. Might be locked._

_The cyborg has probably access to everything. Best hostage, then, in case._

Going down a flight of stairs. Spiral. Limited visibility.

Lando is complaining about his position; that is, bragging.

Han is handling him.

_I'm sure he's handled him before..._

_...don't be silly. Check the escape routes._

Straight ahead. The outside is on the right, the inner corridors must be on the left.

Looking for a pattern. It's a maze.

Not too many people, all of them working at something. Bad. A crowd gives you cover.

Han and Lando look like good old friends.

_No:_ he _looks like a good old_ friend _. Han doesn't really trust him._

He looks back. Almost an apologetic glance.

Smile back.

_Past dalliances are very low on the list of my problems, Han. Move on and don't push our luck even further, please._

This place really is a maze.

Han over there. Chewie a couple of steps behind.

Threepio.

_Where is Threepio?_

_Ask Chewie to check on him._

He got lost. Of course.

Three steps. A door.

Lando, acting even more charming, if that's even possible.

_These are your quarters. Always the best for you._

_I'll see you later._

Through the door.

A round room. Lots of armchairs. A door leading to another three steps - the bedroom, probably.

The door closes behind you.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. This is a companion piece of sort to my first fanfic, [Business Rules](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13334835) \- which eventually I'll have to rewrite to include the Lando/Han factor... (Yes, I love the Bespin part of TESB.)
> 
> UPDATE: it's becoming a series!
> 
> 2\. Yes, the hairdo bit is a not-so-subtle reply to people complaining that Leia's hairdos are impractical. They're not. Ask centuries of women keeping their hair off their face with a braid.
> 
> 3\. About the crowd bit: I think that Leia wouldn't like to use a bystander as cover, but she wouldn't be totally above it. She's a military leader.


End file.
